Saffron

The parent is not a 'dummy'. The parent is the original on which the dummy is modelled!

I've not had Botox, but I understand it works best on deep lines resulting from muscular contraction. It's purportedly better at forehead lines than the crease each side of the nose. If you want a non-invasive overall rejuvenating effect, consider IPL treatment. IPL is not a laser, so it's much cheaper than laser treatment. It's Intense Pulsed Light. It encourages collagen growth from deep within the skin. It can treat acne, sun damage, and fine lines & veins. It's not painful, and rarely leaves any visible marks although you may have some pinpoint redness for a few days after treatment. Don't expect miracles, but with a few treatments, you should see an overall gentle improvement. I'm sure there must be somewhere local offering it? xx

Maybe it's just about doing what makes you feel better (without expecting miracles AND without getting obsessed by it, whether it be cosmetic alternation, weight loss, ultra-fitness etc), and also not judging others about what makes them feel better. . . . . . You could have a test injection of Botox to test for allergy, but as you've likely never been exposed to botulinum toxin before, you're unlikely to have an allergic response to the bt itself. You're more likely to have an allergic response to the solvent or preservatives. Also, a history of anaphylactic response to one allergen does not necessarily predict a history of response to other unrelated allergens, unless you have an atopic syndrome (people with multiple unrelated severe allergic triggers). In any event, it looks like actual Botox allergy is extremely rare: http://aes.sagepub.com/content/34/5/766 xx

treehugger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I had Botox a few years ago, very disappointed. It > didn't make the difference I hoped for (I think I > really wanted a miracle and that I would amazingly > retrieve the beauty I had when I was 25) and it > gave me a terrible headache for a week. I felt it > was money down the drain. Much better for me was > to go to weightwatchers, have my hair highlighted > and cut properly and have a proper eyebrow shape > every couple of weeks. Also, once I lost a bit of > weight, I bought some nice new clothes. It's all > about feeling better about yourself generally, > rather than just what your face looks like, I > think... Except of course that losing weight, getting in better shape, changing hair and eyebrows do all have a dramatic effect on the look of a person's face in context. So if that's an argument against Botox (or any other cosmetic alteration), the argument just went in a circle. xx

Ask your vet if they will lend you one if they have spares?

Glad to see him go. His seemingly un-researched and haphazard railroading of curricula without proper consultation was irksome. Not optimistic about the replacement. Meh. Government.

Do you run out in a snow storm in your knickers? No. You put on boots and a coat. Are they 100% effective at keeping you from feeling cold? No, but it's better than not wearing them. Same logic applies to imms. xx

Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers in the kitchen, plus a small first aid kit would be good. Spare blankets, books, board games also nice.

You could foster a cat from Celia Hammond Animal Trust, no obligation to adopt permanently. xx

Different types of antibiotics have different modes of action and affect teeth differently. I think amoxicillin of this type produces a temporary discolouration, not a true stain. After the antibiotics are finished, try brushing her teeth a few times with an adult whitening paste like Pearl Drops. A Pharmacist should be able to answer your question more fully. Phone the prescribing pharmacy and ask to chat to the Pharmacist about it. xx

I've no experience with thread veins, but I hate to read and run! I've used The Private Clinic (Harley Street) for other advanced skin treatments. Although their sales staff were a bit 'forward', the medical staff were very professional. I see from their website that they offer sclerotherpay. Maybe worth a consultation? xx

Personally if I felt that I had to be sneaky about getting info from the nursery, and that the manger might be manipulative, I would leave that nursery. My personal comfort level is that I wouldn't have Little Saff in a nursery where the management and employees weren't fully supportive and transparent. If they're not 100% up front and professional about that, what else might they be less than professional about? The stress that would cause me would definitely be picked up by my daughter. I'm not great at hiding that kind of thing, but everyone is different of course. xx

Have you thought about a baby hammock? I had an Amby hammock and really liked it for my daughter who was difficult to wind. xx http://www.amby.co.uk/

canela Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > nice own room, and supplies several box sets of TV > series for entertainment and help with english > That's a clever idea! Tbh, I've been worried that I would hear a lot of difficult experiences, but all I've heard so far has been really positive. xx

Depending on what print media you're consuming you're very likely getting a significantly different slant on the topic. You're also possibly choosing when, where, and how much you read about it. Whereas, if you sit down to listen to radio or televised news, the style of reporting seems very poor to me. I would go so far as to say that quite a lot of televised coverage seems to aggrandise the pursuit of paedophiles in a minimally objective reporting style, and to the exclusion of other significant news issue. Although I think this may be more a typical problem of mainstream media, than specifically a problem with reporting this type of news. I agree that cases of molestation and paedophilia need to be investigated and reported. I don't agree that lurid details and virtual witch hunts will promote the cause of good investigative journalism. It's tabloid style reporting gone mainstream. What a waste.

bluesuperted Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is the opposite of how I feel. I don't have > the TV news on in front of my two as I think they > can sense the negative vibes/serious affect of the > newsreaders in general even if they don't > understand the words (age 3.5 and 1). I instead > get my news from the written word. But I actually > am so frustrated that the coverage, marginally > 'better late than never' is not galvanising people > into action, it's so incredibly outrageous, just > bloody awful. I can't stand the thought of these > crimes, committed on the youngest and most > vulnerable, the members of society we should have > been protecting, hideous things happening to kids > without families who could keep them safe, while I > was growing up in relative paradise in terms of > childhood. I hate the heinous cover up and the > whitewash/planned cover up of the cover up about > to start... The investigation is to be overseen by > that Butler-Sloss woman who has connections to > past cover-ups/inadequate inquiries and has > conflicts of interest, including links to her > brother and the lost files I believe!? The whole > thing sickens me to my core and I think people are > so desensitised they can't process or even hear > the enormity and vileness of what has happened and > still happens. I feel so so angry and I just hope > justice, whatever that could possibly look like, > is served and that wholesale change can occur in > the way we look at and treat society's most > vulnerable and most powerless. I'm not holding my > breath though, very sadly. Not sure I understand? Is it that you don't feel that any of the recent reporting has been "salacious" or "almost to the level of glamourising the pursuit of the perpetrators"? Or, I am more correct to understand that you do feel strongly that not enough truly investigative reporting is being undertaken and objectively reported?

I think the lack of sensitivity in the coverage can be damaging for victims too. It seems after years of doing basically nothing, the BBC and others now feel that nothing less than gorging and purging on the subject will do, IMHO.

Thanks, I will message you! :-)

nzmummy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I would avoid southlondontravelcentre.com like the > plague! Took my two year old for the chicken pox > jab, the doctor was awful and having waited an > hour he literally grabbed my son's arm and rammed > the needle in. Patients were walking out of the > clinic complaining how terribly it was run saying > they would never be back. I will never go back > either! Don't chance it, horrible people on > reception, long waiting times and terrible > service. Oh what a shame! :-( I had my daughter vaccinated there not long ago. It was a Saturday, we were the only patients, and the doctor was lovely. I wonder what's changed? New management?

Yes, very upsetting because the situation could have been so much worse for everyone. It's such an unfortunate situation in so many respects. I echo Trimbler's sentiments and hope that parents are able to find the right solutions for their families. xx

I'm happy for anyone to PM me if you'd rather not post publically. I'm really just looking to hear about any local experiences. I can see there are a lot of .org type sites with guidelines about au pairs. I'm just curious what experiences ED and surrounding parents have had. Did you get your au pair through an agency, word of mouth, forum? What accommodation and benefits did you offer? Was your au pair happy with that? Did most people find that au pairs fit in easily and were easy to manage, or have there been problems with language or family life? Parents of singletons in particular, how did your au pair find socialising/playdates with other au pairs + children? xx

I second everything Katherine posted. xx

Be sure to come back under a pseudonym and thwart all the posters who annoyed you. But don't forget to make your new identity look real by posting on a few random threads first...

Mr Saff and I are thinking about having a live-in au pair for our 4.5 yo daughter. I'm wondering what experiencs (good and bad) people have had with their au pairs? What do you wish you knew before hiring an au pair? xx

Will the current read-only threads in the soon to be defunct Drawing Room be transferred to the Lounge? Just curious. Thanks. xx